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Buddy was found by Kevin DiCicco as a stray dog in the Sierra Nevada in the summer of 1989.[1] DiCicco adopted the disheveled Golden Retriever and brought him home to San Diego, where he trained him in the sports of basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and hockey.[1] Buddy's most eagerly awaited sport was basketball. He was touted as the Michael Jordan of dogs. DiCicco revealed that Buddy tried to bite the ball, but its slipperiness, enhanced by saliva or more efficiently by olive oil, would propel it from his mouth.[2]

After starring on Full House, he was cast as Buddy in the 1997 Disney movie "Air Bud". Air Bud tells the story of a golden retriever abandoned by his alcoholic abusive owner. In the movie, he moved in with a boy named Josh Framm who was depressed after his father died in a plane crash. He appeared on the Kids' Choice Awards in 1998, where he was nominated for a Blimp Award for the movie. Prior to his death, Buddy sired nine puppies.[5][6]Air Bud was Buddy's final acting role.

In 1997, Buddy had his right hind leg amputated due to synovial cell sarcoma, a type of cancer that manifests near the joints, although he was still able to shoot hoops.[7] Six months later Air Buddy died in his sleep due to complications from cancer on February 10, 1998, at his owner's San Diego home.[8] At the time of his death, Buddy was 9 years old.[5] Buddy was a month away from celebrating his 10th birthday. Air Bud: Golden Receiver was dedicated to his memory.